Power driven vehicle toy



sgpt; 12, 1939. w, SWENSON J 2,172,416

POWER DRIVEN VEHICLE TOY Filed Aug. 51, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2 NvN-rorz/ QQr/hur Swanson 8 WW ca e-m 8 54 UlT o v E S Sept. 12, 1939. A. w. SWENSON POWER DRIVEN VEHICLE TOY Filed Aug. 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVESNTOQ.

((JZNSO)? Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 31,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in power propelled toy vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, boats, and the like, and more particularly to toys of the character in which the vehicle movements are controlled by cam means shaped according to the path to be traversed by the vehicle.

One object is to provide a toy vehicle of the above character having mechanism for controlling selectively the functions of starting, stopping, forward advance, reverse and steering, as well as for correlating these functions with each other so that the vehicle may be caused to traverse a wide variety of paths predetermined by the 75 shape of the cam mechanism.

Another object is to provide a novel vehicle toy having a cam. actuated clutch mechanism for controlling the starting, stopping, and direction of advance.

Still another object is to provide a spring actuated toy vehicle having a novel speed reducing mechanism.

A further object is to provide a novel toy truck embodying mechanism for dumping the truck body automatically.

The invention also resides in the novel structural character of the steering mechanism and the direction control clutch.

- Other objects and advantages of the inventio will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the chassis of a toy automobile embodying the novel features of the present invention. 1

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively along the lines 22 and 33 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1

showing a portion of the speed reducing mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an underside view.

Figs.'6, 8, and 10 are diagrammatic views showing the paths traversed by the vehicle when controlled by cams of the shapes shown in Figs. 5,

'7, and 9, respectively.

Figs. 7 and 9 show different form of cams.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view partially in section of a toy dump truck embodying the invention.

Fig. 12 is a section taken along the line l2-l2 of Fig. 11..

Fig, 13 is a fragmentary bottom view of the dump truck.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has 1938, Serial No. 227,647

been shown in the drawings and will be described herein as a toy automotive vehicle. It is to be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to cover all other modifications and adaptations falling 5 within the spirit and-scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings, I3 indicates the automobile frame which is punched out of sheet metal, properly bent to impart the required rigidity, and provided with means for attachment of a vehicle body i2. The front wheels M, which are suitably surfaced to reduce skidding, rotate on the ends of arms [5 hinged intermediate their ends on vertical pivot pins It on the frame. The inner ends of the arms are joined by pin and slot connections H to the outer ends of a horizontally swingable lever l8 pivoted at its center on a stud l9. At the forward end, the frame is cut away as indicated at 20 to permit the wheels to be swung from the extreme right turnposition (Fig. 1) to an extreme left turn position.

The rear wheels 2| are fast on an axle 22 journaled at opposite ends in flanges 23. For a purpose to appear later, the axle and the wheels are shiftable bodily in an axial direction.

Power for propelling the vehicle and for actuating the steering mechanism is, in the present instance, derived from a motor comprising a spiral spring 24 having one end anchored to the chassis and the other end connected to a vertical shaft 25. The latter is journaled at opposite ends between auxiliary frames 26 and 26 and may be turned to wind up the spring by a key 21 coupled to the upper end of the shaft. Through the usual pawl and ratchet connection (not shown), the shaft 25 is coupled to a gear 28 meshing with a pinion 29 which is rigid with a crown gear 30. The studs carrying the various pinions and gears are mounted on the frame plate l3 and held in place by the auxiliary frame member 26. The gear 30 meshes with a pinion 3| on a propeller shaft 32 having its forward end 33 journaled in the auxiliary frame 26 and its rear end rotatably supported in lug 33 integral with and upstanding from the frame l3.

Fast on the rear end of the shaft 32 is a pinion 34 disposed between two crown gears 35 and 36 having hubs 31 fast on the axle 22 and teeth projecting toward each other for engagement with the pinion. When the pinion is in mesh with the gear 36 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the vehicle will be propelled reversely, Forward advance occurs when the pinion meshes with the gear 35. When the pinion is disengaged from both gears, it rotates idly and the vehicle remains at rest.

The pinion 34 and the gears 35 form a simple clutch mechanism by which the starting, the stopping, and the direction of advance of the vehicle may be controlled. Selective engagement and disengagement of the clutches is eflected in the present instance by bodily shifting the axle 22 and the rear wheels. For this purpose, a lever 36 (Fig.5) is extended longitudinally of the chassis on the under side of the frame plate and pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 33.

The rear end 40 of the lever is bent upwardly and disposed between the crown gear hubs 31 which form a clutch collar.

The forward end 4| of the clutch lever constitutes a follower for an open face cam 42 which preferably. comprises a flat metal disk having the desired peripheral contour. The cam is carried on the squared lower end 43 of a vertical shaft 44, and is detachably held thereon by any suitable means such as a thumb nut 45. Fast on the upper end of the shaft is a gear 5| meshing with a pinion 28 which rotates with the gear 29*. With this arrangement, the cam shaft is driven at a very low speed as compared to the speed of rotation of the drive wheels 2|.

A spring 46 stretched between the frame l3 and the lever 36 holds the follower against the cam and shifts the lever in one direction as permitted by the contour of the cam. When thefollower engages a raised surface 41 of the cam, the lever 33 and the rear axle 22 are shifted against the action of the spring 46 to engage the pinion 34 and the gear 36 thereby conditioning the clutches for reverse movement of the vehicle. During engagement of the follower and a depressed surface 46, the gear 35 is shifted into engagement with the drive pinion and the vehicle is propelled forwardly. The shift from forward to reverse and vice versa occurs as the follower encounters rises and falls 49 and 50.

The invention contemplates actuation of the steering mechanism in timed relation to actuation of the clutch mechanism above described so as to cause the vehicle to traverse any selected path. This is accomplished through the medium of an open face cam 52 received on the squared end of the shaft adjacent the cam 42 and acting on a follower in the form of a stud 53 rigid with a rearwardly projecting arm 54 on the steering lever I6. The stud projects downwardly through an arcuate slot 56 in the frame l3 and is held against the cam periphery by a spring 66. While the follower 63 is bearing against a raised surface 51 of the cam 62, the bell crank lever I6 is swung against the action of the spring 56 to the extreme right turn position of the front wheels. The wheels are held in the extreme left turn position when the follower engages the surface 56. Any intermediate position between these extremes may be produced by proper shaping of the cam 52. For example, the vehicle may move straight forward or backward while the'follower 53 rides along a surface 66 (Fig. 7).

By mounting the front wheels on the individual levers l5 actuated by a common bell crank l6; the required swinging movement of the front wheels may be obtained without the necessity of enlarging the cam 62 to an objectionable degree. This is because the ratios of levers l5 and I6 may be varied as desired to produce the requisite movement of the wheels for a given movement of the cam follower. I

Preferably, though not necessarily, the two cams 42 and 52.are fastened rigidly together so as to maintain the fixed angular relation required for causing the vehicle to traverse the intended path when under their control. By removing the thumb screw 45', the cams may be removed and replaced by other cams such as those shown in Figs. 7 and 9 which may be shaped to produce any desired path of vehicle movement. The cams are of simple construction and easy to replace so that a wide variety of predetermined vehicle movements may be obtained at a low cost thereby increasing materially the utility of the toy.

A simple and inexpensive means is provided for slowing down the speed of operation of the spring motor. This means comprises a gear 29 (Fig. 1) meshing with the pinion 28 and with a pinion 6| rigid with a gear 62 which in turn meshes with a pinion 63 loose on a stud 64 and rigid with a gear 65. The number of teeth on the latter gear is one less than on a gear 66 also loose on the stud. Both gears 65 and 66 mesh with a gear 6'! journaled on a stud 66. With this arrangement, additional friction is imposed on the spring motor effectually preventing it from attaining an objectionably high speed. Starting and stopping of the spring motor may be controlled by a manually shiftable lever 69 pivoted on the frame l3 and having an end HI movable into and out of blocking engagement with the teeth of the gear 61.

The action of the toy with cams of the shape shown in Fig. 5 is illustrated in Fig. 5. Starting from the position shown in full outline, the followers 4| and 53 engage the cams 42 and 52 to hold the front wheels in the right turn position with the gear 36 shifted into engagement with drive pinion 34. When the motor is started, the vehicle moves backward and to the left along the line "H, the cam shaft 44 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 5). After the vehicle has described nearly a complete circle, the cam surface 50 is presented to the follower 4| causing the rear axle to beshifted in a'direction to disengage the gear 36 from the pinion and engage the gear 35. This interrupts the backward movement and initiates forward advance of the vehicle. Simultaneously, the follower 53 rides off from the surface 51 onto the surface 58 which results in shifting of the front wheels from the right to the extreme left turn position. As a result, the vehicle is propelled forwardly along the circular path 12. At the point 13, the initial condition of the steering and clutch mechanism is restored whereupon the vehicle proceeds backwardly along the line 14. Finally, at the point 15,

the cams shift the front wheels to the left and en- By substituting for the cams 42 and 52, cams 42' and 52' of the shape shown in Pig. 7, an entirely differentpath of movement illustrated in Fig. 8 may be obtained. With the followers engaging the cams as shown, the vehicle starts forward in a straight line 11 from the position shown in full outline, At the point 13, the gear 35 disengages the pinion 34 and the vehicle dwells while the gear 36 is being shifted into mesh, the front wheels being shifted to the right turn position. Then, the vehicle proceeds backward along the curved path I9. At 80, the direction is reverse and the wheels turned left so that a curved path BI is traversed. After moving through more than a complete circle, the vehicle stops at 82, reverses along a curve 83, and finally moves forwardly along a straight line 84 back to the starting point. Completion of this path requires one revolution of the cam shaft.

The path of movement of a vehicle (see Fig. 10) in backing up to turn around and advance forwardly but in the reverse direction will be traversed under the control of cams 42" and 52". Starting with the cams positioned as shown in Fig. 9 and with the vehicle in the full line position (Fig. 10) it first moves forwardly to the point 86, then backwardly to the point 81 where it will stop temporarily while both gears 35 and 36 are held out of mesh with the pinion 34 as will be the case while the follower 4| is engaging the surface 4|. The steering and clutch mechanisms are actuated at this point to initiate forward advance to the left around the curve 88 whereupon the front wheels are straightened to cause a straight line advance 89.

By synchronizing the actuations of the steering and clutch mechanisms as bythe use of cams on a common shaft, the path of movement of the vehicle in one cycle is definitely predetermined and such paths are accurately duplicated in repeated cycles. Thus, by shaping the cam surfaces to properly correlate the steering, stopping, starting, and direction of advance, any desired path of movement may be obtained. If desired, suitable indicia such as an arrow 90 may be formed on the cam 52 to indicate the normal position relative to the follower 53 from which the cam should be started in order to describe the intended path.

Provision may also be made for performing other functions automatically in timed relation to movements of the vehicle. Figs. 11 to 13 illustrate an arrangement for dumping a truck having a box or dump body 9| for containing material hinged on 'a pivot pin 92 supported above and ahead of the axle by the flanges 23 at the sides of the frame plate I3. The pivot is so located relative to the center of gravity of the box when loaded that it will tend to swing into the dumped position shown in dotted outline under the weight of the material carried in the box, the floor of the latter being inclined as indicated at to induce a flow of material toward the rear end of the boX. A yieldable arm 93 depending from the forward end of the box 9| projects through an opening 94 in the frame I3 when the box is in its lower normal position, a shoulder 96 on the arm engaging the under side of the frame to latch the box in normal position.

The latch 93 is tripped automatically at a predetermined point in the revolution of the cam shaft 44. This may be accomplished by (Fig. 11) a horizontally swingable lever 91 pivoted at 98 on the frame I3 with one end 99 disposed adjacent the latch 93 but held in inactive position by a spring I00. The other end IOI of the lever constitutes the follower of a cam I02 fast on the. shaft 44 and having a lobe I03 positioned to engage the follower at the point in the vehicle cycle at which it is desired to dump the body 9|. Upon such engagement, the lever 91 is swung against the latch to release the shoulder 95 thereby permitting the body to tilt under the over-balanced weight of its contents. As the body reaches the position shown in dotted outline (Fig. 11) an arm I04 engages the frame I3 releasing a latch I05 to permit a gate I06 at the rear end of the body to swing open. The contents may then slide out of the tilted body.

As an incident to such tilting of the dump body, a contractile spring I01 extending between the forward end of the flat portion of the body 9I and the truck cab I08 becomes tensioned sufficiently to induce reverse tilting of the dump body as soon as the body has been emptied. The body is thus returned to normal position and the gate I06 is automatically closed.

Instead of employing a separate cam I02, the latch 93 may be released by cam means formed on one of the cams 42 and 52. Thus, as shown in Fig. 9, the lever 91 may be actuated by a lug I09 formed at the proper point on the cam 52.

By timing the dumping operation with the vehicle movements, the operation of a commercial truck may be closely simulated. For example. with cams constructed as shown in Fig. 9, the trip lever would preferably be actuated by the lug I09 while the vehicle is dwelling .in its back-up position at the point 81.

I claim as my invention:

1. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a motor carried by the vehicle, mechanism for steering the vehicle, drive mechanism selectively operable to cause movement of the vehicle in opposite directions by said motor, and means driven by said motor and operable to actuate said steering and drive mechanisms in timed relation whereby to cause the vehicle to traverse a predetermined path under the power of said motor.

2. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a motor carried by the vehicle, mechanism for steering the vehicle, drive mechanism selectively operable to impart propelling power from said motor to the vehicle or to interrupt the application of such power, and means driven by said motor and operating said steering and drive mechanisms selectively and in timed relation to each other.

3. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a power driven motor carried by the vehicle, drive mechanism for propelling the vehicle, clutches respectively operable to connect said motor and said drive mechanism for propulsion of the vehicle in opposite directions, mechanism for steering the vehicle, a cam shaft driven by said motor and having two cams thereon rotatable in unison, followers for said cams, and means actuated by said follower and respectively operating to variably actuate said steering mechanism and selectively engage said clutches.

4. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a motor carried by the vehicle, mechanism for steering the vehicle, drive mechanism selectively operable to impart power from said motor to the vehicle to propel the latter, a cam shaft continuously driven by the motor during operation thereof, two cams removably mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means detachably securing said cams on the shaft to permit of ready removal and replacement by differently shaped cams, and means actuated by the respective cams for actuating said steering and drive mechanisms selectively.

5. A toy automotive vehicle having, in combination, a chassis having wheels thereon swingable laterally to steer the vehicle, a motor carried by said chassis, drive mechanism selectively operable to connect said motor to'and disconnect the same from wheels of said chassis whereby to control propulsion of the vehicle under the power of said motor, and cam mechanism continuously operated during operation of said motor and operable to variably position said first mentioned wheels and render said drive mechanism operative selectively whereby to cause the vehicle to traverse a path predetermined by the contour of said cam mechanism.

6. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a motor carried by the vehicle, means driven by said motor for propelling the vehicle including clutch mechanism selectively operable to cause starting, stopping, and forward or reverse movements of the vehicle under the power of said motor, a rotary cam driven by said motor, and

. means controlled by said cam and selectively controlling said clutch mechanism.

7. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a motor carried by the vehicle, means driven by said motor for propelling the vehicle including a selectively operable reversing clutch, and mechanism driven continuously during operation of said motor and operable to actuate said clutch selectively and cause the vehicle to traverse a predetermined sequence of forward and reverse movements respectively having predetermined lengths.

8. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a motor carried by said frame, two gears coupled to said drive shaft and spaced therealong with their teeth projecting toward each other, a propeller shaft driven by said motor, a pinion on said propeller shaft disposed between said gears and selectively engageable with the teeth thereof, a rotary cam driven by said motor, and mechanism actuated by said camand operable to effect relative movement between said pinion and said gears in a direction axially of said drive shaft to bring one or the other of the gears into mesh with the pinion.

9. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a

frame, a rotary drive member for propelling the vehicle, a spring motor on said frame, a gear train for transmitting rotary power from said motor to said driven member, a spur gear driven from an element of said gear train, a second spur gear rotatable on the axis of said first gear and having a difierent number of teeth than the first gear, and an idler gear meshing with the teeth of both of said spur gears.

10. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a wheeled frame, a dump body pivoted on said frame to over-balance under the weight of material in the body whereby to dump automatically, a latch operating to hold said body in normal position, a motor actuated cam, and means actuated by said cam to release said latch and permit dumping of said body.

-11. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a wheeled frame, a dump body pivoted on said frame to over-balance under the weight of material in the body whereby to dump automatically, a latch operating to hold said body in normal position, a motor actuated cam, means actuated by said cam to release said latch and permit dumping of said body, a gate at the rear of said body, a latch normally holding said gate closed,

- and means operating as. an incident to dumping of said body to release said gate latch and permit opening of the gate.

12. A toy vehicle having, in combination, a wheeled frame, a dump body movably mounted on said frame and normally tending to move .lease said body for movement to dumping position.

ARTHUR W. SWENSON. 

